Occupational Therapy Concentration (B.H.S.)

Occupational Therapy

The program offers coursework leading to the Bachelor of Health Science degree with a concentration in occupational therapy. This degree is awarded upon completion of approximately 71-73 pre-professional semester credits and 56 professional program credits, and it is a prerequisite for entry into the graduate component of the professional program, the Master of Occupational Therapy. The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences must formally accept students before admission to the professional courses. Students who successfully complete the B.H.S. occupational therapy concentration and meet the requirements for admission to the Graduate School at Wayne State University, are eligible to continue into the graduate component of the program. Students who already hold an undergraduate degree are eligible to receive a second bachelor’s degree.

The professional program is designed primarily for full-time enrollment; although part-time enrollment may be considered and must be approved by the program director on a case-by-case basis.

Accreditation

Wayne State University offers courses of study which are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814-3449; 301-652-2682, and the accrediting body of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which prepare the student to take the national certification examination through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) 301-990-7979. (The Bachelor of Health Science degree does not qualify the holder for certification.)

Pre-professional Program

Applicants must complete two years of pre-professional study including the General Education Requirements of the university, and prerequisite courses for the occupational therapy professional program. Decisions regarding the fulfillment of program prerequisites are made by the Department of Occupational Therapy.

The following curriculum is required of all degree candidates for subsequent admission to professional study in the Department of Occupational Therapy. Core courses must be completed by the end of the fall semester prior to application for admission to the professional program. The courses listed under Additional General Education Requirements may be completed during the winter semester, while making application to the program.

Indicates courses or requirements that may be satisfied by examination or coursework.

Professional Program

Admission Requirements

The professional program in occupational therapy is eight semesters in length and consists of an undergraduate component and a graduate component. Progression to the graduate component is achieved only through successful completion of the undergraduate component. Applications to the professional program are submitted through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) and may be obtained each November through February online from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Office of Student Affairs. Applicants should also be familiar with general University and College admission requirements. Students are admitted once per year during the spring/summer semester prior to Fall enrollment. In addition to the application, the student must:

Hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.00 scale) for the pre-professional courses listed above. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a ‘C’ or better. A maximum of two core prerequisite courses may be repeated to improve grades.

Complete a minimum of twenty hours contact with a registered occupational therapist. These contact hours may be in one facility with one therapist, or within a variety of facilities and with more than one therapist. The therapist(s) with whom the student had the contact experience(s) must complete documentation, which is provided in the application.

3. Complete a Personal/Professional Statement through OTCAS.

4. Submit a letter of recommendation from a current or former supervisor through OTCAS.

Students transferring from another institution should contact a representative at the Office of Student Affairs to ensure their credits are equivalent to Wayne State University courses. Equivalency guides are available from the University's Office of Transfer Credit or by contacting the College's Office of Student Affairs.

Upon completion of this part of the program students may apply for the Bachelor of Health Science degree. For Master of Occupational Therapy program requirements, students should consult the Graduate Bulletin.

Academic Regulations

Once a student is enrolled in the professional program, a minimum cumulative grade point average (g.p.a.) of 3.0 or above must be maintained. A student must achieve an undergraduate g.p.a. of 3.00 to be eligible for regular graduate admission to the graduate component of the degree. Students apply for graduation and Graduate status during the fourth semester of the undergraduate component of the curriculum. Once admitted to Graduate School, students must maintain a g.p.a. of 3.0 in all graduate level courses.The student will apply for graduation and Graduate status during semester four.The student must maintain a g.p.a. of 3.0 in all graduate level courses.

Undergraduate Probation: A student whose g.p.a. falls below 3.0 in an academic semester is placed on curriculum probation for the following semester. The student must raise his/her g.p.a. in that semester, and must reach at least a 3.0 cumulative average at the end of the following semester; failure to accomplish this will result in dismissal from the program. A student is allowed a maximum of two semesters of probation during his/her entire enrollment in the occupational therapy program.

Repeating Courses: A grade of ‘C-minus’ or below in a prerequisite to a professional course, or in a professional course, indicates unsatisfactory performance, and the course must be repeated. No more than two professional courses may be repeated.

A course from which a student withdraws prior to the end of the semester, and in which he/she has maintained a 'C-minus' average, is counted as one of the two courses which the student is allowed to repeat. A failing grade ('F') in a professional course is unacceptable, and the student is automatically dismissed from the occupational therapy program. Failure in a Level I or Level II field experience will also result in dismissal from the program. If a student fails, he/she may, with the help of an occupational therapy faculty advisor, petition for readmission to the program.